Until Han is Safe
by Kari
Summary: Leia must deal with her feelings for Han after he is taken away. (Between EMPIRE and JEDI)


Until Han is Safe  
  
By Kari Raines @ TrekGirl2000@netscape.net  
  
Disclaimer: They all belong to George Lucas. Please don't sue.  
  
This story takes place almost immediately after EMPIRE. I can't write enough Han/Leia stories. I just love them. I don't know who that Bria chick is that everyone keeps talking about, but I say, "HAN AND LEIA FOREVER!"  
  
Anyway, more plotless stuff I wrote on inspiration. Hope you enjoy. =)  
  
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The stars streaked by in a continuous blur on the viewscreen. Leia Organa--princess of a destroyed world-- watched on longingly, unsure of what to make of the events of the last few months. She tried to make sense of the way she felt, but there didn't seem to be any logic.  
  
It had been two whole days since Han Solo had been ripped from her arms. She remembered how brave he had been for her, but the look in his eyes had been unmistakable. She remembered quite vividly the way his mouth had descended upon hers, kissing her and tasting her with as much passion as he could muster. He might have been saying goodbye. Leia wasn't sure. What she was sure was that she would do anything in her power to get him back. She had denied love before, and she would never again make that mistake again.  
  
She thought of the way they had ripped Han away, but she clung on as long as possible.  
  
"I love you," she had cried, only at that moment realizing the truth. She wasn't sure how long it had been true, but at that moment, Leia knew it with a clarity she had rarely experienced.  
  
"I know," he had called back, his voice strangely soft. She relived his response over and over in her head. He had not said, "I love you, too." Dammit. But she could see it in his eyes. The love and strength that resided in those soulful eyes was evident.  
  
And as he had descended into the carbonite, his eyes had stayed on hers, as if telling her that he would be all right. And silently, she swore to him that she would get him back.  
  
But she could not watch the final procedures. She had buried her tear-filled eyes in Chewbacca's fur. Tears. Leia never cried. Her father had taught her to be strong.  
  
She was pulled suddenly from her thoughts by a gentle, comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up abruptly into Luke's warm, sincere face. His blue eyes were brilliant. Leia gave him a forced smile as she placed her hand on his. She knew that Luke missed Han, too.  
  
"Will you come with me?" Leia asked him. She had to go somewhere with more privacy. Luke followed her, unquestioningly, until they arrived at her quarters. Luke looked around, noting that her rooms were no different than those of any other officer. Undoubtedly, she had insisted on being treated no differently.  
  
Together, they sat down on Leia's bed. There was no discomfort between the two. Luke understood now that Leia's heart belonged with Han, and he accepted that. In truth, Luke loved Leia the same as he always had, but it wasn't like the love shared between Han and Leia. It was more like a brotherly love . . . a protectiveness.  
  
Han was Luke's friend, but he had been so sure that Han would hurt her, whether he meant to or not. Now he could see that he had been wrong. Han, the smuggler and sometime pirate, had a pure heart. Sometimes he tried to hide it behind bravado, but at the right times, it showed through.  
  
Why else would he have helped him rescue Leia three years ago? Han would say the money, but Luke didn't think so. Why else would he have come back and helped Luke finish off the Death Star? Why else would he have stayed on with the Rebellion for so long?  
  
It was all because his conscience wouldn't allow him to turn away. Smuggler or not, Han Solo unwillingly had a moral sense of right and wrong. And perhaps he did it for love as well.  
  
Luke looked down at Leia now. She was quiet, her brown eyes haunted. He could see the unshed tears wanting to escape. The turmult in her mind was obvious to him. Her confused thoughts were practically screaming at him.  
  
Slowly, Leia laid down on the bed, curling herself into a ball. Luke, without hesitation, laid down next to her, wrapping his arms around her. He didn't know any other way of comforting her. So that's the way they stayed for several moments, the only sound the almost imperceptible reverberating of the ship around them. "Leia, he feels the same way," Luke suddenly said, breaking the silence.  
  
Leia's head snapped up. "What?" she said.  
  
Luke sighed. "I know you like to pretend you hate each other, Leia, but there's no need for that now. I promise you we'll get him back."  
  
Luke felt her back begin to tremble--the first sign of her emotions about to be released. "Luke, I'm so confused," she confessed, the tears evident in her shaky voice. There was no way for her to explain in words why her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest. Is this what it takes? she wondered silently. In order for me to admit that I love something--or someone--I have to lose it, instead of admitting it to myself.  
  
The thought disturbed her.  
  
"Leia, the Rebellion has always come first with you. You never put anything in front of that responsibility--not friendship, not family, and certainly not love. That's why you always pretended to hate Han. You couldn't allow yourself to admit your feelings for him. That would've threatened your priorities."  
  
She was silent as she listened to him, realizing how true his words were. She had never thought about it, but she knew he was right. She was so thankful that she had Luke here to help her through this.  
  
"But that's all going to change," she whispered. "When we get Han back . . . I won't do that again. I won't make that mistake again." It was the first pure thing she had said in a long time.  
  
If we get Han back . . .   
  
This was the dark voice in the back of her mind--the voice that couldn't be silenced no matter how hard she tried.  
  
"Don't do that," Luke told her, kissing her dark hair lightly. "Han will be fine. You will see that I'm right."  
  
Leia's eyes drifted toward the single window of her cabin. She imagined that she could reach through space itself, and bring Han back to her--back safe in her arms. With that last thought, Leia drifted into an uneasy sleep, Luke's warm presence a comforting blanket in the back of her mind.  
  
Luke smiled as he felt her troubled mind drift into sleep. As he helped her overcome her own troubles, he had forgotten about his own. He thought about his encounter with Vader. He thought about Vader's words to him.  
  
No, don't do that, he told himself, sitting up in Leia's bed. Han and Leia were more important than anything Vader had said to him.  
  
"Goodnight, Leia," Luke said, kissing her forehead gently before standing up to leave. They would join Lando soon in the rescue attempt. They had some planning to do . . .   
  
Leia did not notice as Luke left. She was dreaming of Han. In her dreams, she saw herslef and Han, five years later, married. She saw herself pregnant with his children. She saw the Empire defeated. Such sweet, precious dreams. And these dreams would sustain her for the three months until they pulled Han from Jabba's Palace. Until Han was safe.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Thanks for reading. Please review! =) 


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